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BREAKING NEWS: Delta Assembly Defends Declaration of Udu Seat Vacant
The Office of the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly has defended the declaration of the Udu State Constituency seat as vacant, saying the decision was made in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The Speaker’s office was reacting to comments by former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, who criticised the Assembly’s decision to declare the seat vacant following the defection of the lawmaker representing Udu State Constituency, Collins Egbetamah.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Nkem Nwaeke, the Assembly said its resolution was based on documentary evidence before the House and complied with Sections 109(1)(g) and 109(2) of the Constitution.
According to the statement, Section 109(1)(g) provides that a lawmaker elected on the platform of a political party shall vacate the seat upon joining another political party before the expiration of the tenure, except where there is a division in the political party that sponsored the election.
The Assembly maintained that the Constitution empowers the Speaker to declare the seat vacant once the constitutional conditions have been satisfied.
It added that the House acted on the resignation and defection letter submitted by the lawmaker.
“The resolution on the Udu seat was reached after due consideration of documentary evidence before the House, in strict compliance with Sections 109(1)(g) and 109(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),” the statement read.
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The Speaker’s office also rejected claims that the decision was arbitrary or politically motivated, arguing that the Constitution does not require a court judgment or legislative hearing before the Speaker acts once the relevant facts have been established.
“The Constitution does not require a judicial determination or a legislative hearing before the Speaker gives effect to Section 109(2) once the factual condition is met and no constitutional exception is established,” the statement added.
The Assembly said its action was not intended to deny the people of Udu representation but to ensure that the constituency is represented through the constitutional process.
It explained that the directive to the Clerk of the House to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission was to enable the conduct of a by-election in accordance with Section 116(2) of the Constitution.
The Speaker’s office further stated that any party dissatisfied with the decision was free to seek judicial redress.
“Should any party feel aggrieved, the courts remain the ultimate arbiter of constitutional interpretation. The Delta State House of Assembly has full confidence in the judiciary and welcomes judicial review of its action,” the statement said.
The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, constitutional democracy and the discharge of its legislative responsibilities.
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Breaking: Nigerian Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage, FG Faces Fresh Salary Pressure
The Federal Workers Forum, FWF, has demanded an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000, noting that the current salary structure can no longer sustain civil servants amid Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
The Forum made the demand in a letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, with the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation listed among the recipients.
The workers also proposed a new salary structure that would place the highest-paid Level 17 officer on a monthly salary of N1.5 million, while Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000.
“We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers,” the Forum said.
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The FWF argued that the Federal Government had not fully implemented the 2024 minimum wage agreement, claiming that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances.
“It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage,” it said.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in August 2026, demanded an upward review of the minimum wage to N500,000.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s government increased the minimum wage to N70,000 per month from N30,000.
However, the cost of living for many Nigerians has tripled between 2024 and 2026.
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The Federal Government has said Nigeria will never support a military coup or any unconstitutional change of government, following claims that the country backed a failed coup attempt in the Niger Republic.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the statement, the claims circulating on social media are baseless and misleading.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria remained committed to democracy, constitutional rule and political stability in West Africa and would not support any attempt to remove a government through unconstitutional means.
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“Nigeria will never support illegality or unconstitutional change of government anywhere, no matter who is involved or which country is concerned,” he said.
The minister also rejected claims that Nigeria, through its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supported or endorsed the military takeover in Niger.
He said the Federal Government had already stated its position on the situation in Niger in an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 30, 2026.
According to him, Nigeria remains deeply concerned about developments in Niger and wants the country to return peacefully to stability and constitutional order.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria’s close historical, cultural and fraternal ties with Niger made peace and stability in the neighbouring country particularly important.
“Nigerians at home and abroad should disregard the videos and narratives circulating online, they are intended to create confusion and tarnish Nigeria’s image,” the statement said.
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